Apparatus for handling strands



March 30,1926. 1,578,488

Y H, G .WALKER APPARATUS FOR HANDLING STRANDS Filed. May' 8. 1925Patented Mar. 3i), i926;

, v v STATE A HOWARD GEORGE WALKER, 0E BERWYN, ILLINOIS, ssIenoR reArenr rma WESTERN 'EL'EGTYRIGVY I coMrAEY, IncoRroRArEnoE NEW YORK, N.Y.', A coaro ATIoN oENE YoaK,

' APPARATUS FOR HAnnLINes'rRANns;

Application filed May 8,

To all whom it may concern."

Be it known that I, HOWARD GEORGE" :WALKER, a citizen of the UnitedStates, r'esidingat Berwyn, in the countyoi Cook and State of Illinois,have invented certain YneW and useful Improvements in Apparahandlinstrands.

' The o loject of the invention is to provide an apparatus .for handlingstrands designed to feed strand material continuously. I Another objectof the invention is to'pro vide'an apparatus for handling strands havinga plurality "of sources from which a 'strand'may be fedwithoutinterruption, one of such sources being inefi'e'ctive Whilestrand is being fed from anothersource, but becoming immediatelyeffective upon'the ex hau'stion of the feeding source. Another objectofthe invention is to provide an apparatusfor handling strandscomprising a plurality of spools, coils, cops, or

the like of strand material, and means for transferring the feed ofstrand from one spool, upon its exhaustion, to an unexhausted spool.

Still another objectofl'thejinvention is to provide an apparatus forhandlingstrands comprising a -plurality of spools, coils, cops,

orthe like of strandmaterial so disposed that -on e'spool upon'itsexhaustion may be replaced by a full spool, means beingprovided fortransferring' the feed ofstrand from one spool, upon its'exhaustion, toan unexhausted spool. I

j 'An apparatus made in accordance with the invention may comprise apair of adjacently mounted spools, the outerend of the strand materialon one spool being connected to the inner end of the strand material onthe other spool, suitable means being-provided for first unwindingthestrand material from one spool and then, upon its exhaustion, un-

Winding the strand material from the other spool. While strand materialis being fed from the second spool, theexhausted spool may be replacedby a' full spool, the outer end of the strand material on the full spoolbeing connected to the inner end ofthe strand material on the feedingspool. Such an apparatusserves to supply strand "material continuously.It may be used to adof the removable fliers.

19.23. Serial No. 637,445.

vantage with a Wide variety. of machines operatmg'on strand. materialand. especially in'connection With machines which are preferably runover long periods Without stopping, such as machmesfor insulating. W1reW thrubber, extrusion machines, wire drawing machines, etc. Sincesuchmachines uti- 'lize metallic strand mater al -Wl11Cl1 mustbe joinedby Welding, or' brazing, either operation consuming considerable time,"activity of the machine is materially. lessened Where it must be idleWhile a joint being made. I

With the apparatusherein a'joint may, be, made in the'strand While themachine is in oPerationQ 5 lo ing description and Wlllbfi particularlypolnted out in theflappendedqclaims. In the accompanying drawings,

' Fig.1 2' is a top'plari view thereof, and

Fig. 3 is anenlarged-detailvievv. of 0118-,

Referring new, to the dravvings in detail Other objects,advantages'of-the invention will more fully appear from the fol- I 76 IFig. 1 is a' side' elevati'onYillustrating one Embodiment of theinvention;

in which like -reference numerals designate similar parts throughout theseveral views, I

10'indicates ajsuitable base having inclined portions 11 and 12 adaptedto support spools orother strand material supplies :13 and 14: Irespectively.v ,Disposedfwithin the hub'of' 'each'spool'is a fliercomprising a plug mem ber 15,morefclearly shown in Fig.3, provid ed Witha rotatable stud 16 carrying'at its upper end an L-shaped arm 17having-an integral projection 18, the'lo Wer endof the f arm beingshaped to form aguide '19 for the strand. A bail 20 isattached to theplug.

"15, tofprovidel'ameansfor removing or" flier Within the hub of thespool.

placing the The strandmaterial on each of thespools 13 and leis Wound insuch mannerthat'the end of the 'innermost'layer ofstrand projectsoutside of the spool as shownjin Fig. 1.

In setting up the apparatus the spools 13 and 14 are placed upon theinclined portions 11and 12 of the base 10. The outer end of v the strandon spool 13 is threaded in'the guide 19 of the flier associatedtherewith. The end of the innermost layer of the strand on the spool .13is attached to the end of the 14;. When the strand is of afibrous'nature outermost layer of the strand'on the spool A endstogether and When the strand is metal I lie the jointniay beniade'bybrazing, yveld- '-in g, or' in any other-suitable manner. Thefljo-ined pOI'l510Il 'Of "ill1e strand connecting-the :twospools ISsecured in a spring clip '21 carried by the base 10 equi-distant thespools I 1'3 and '14, looped upwardly behind-the provjection 18oftheflier associatediwith spool '14, and then"threaded vvithin theguide 19 ofsaid flier; r

' j InfFig l the rial on the' 1sp0ol13 'is' unwound'therefrom by; itsassociated flieri the pullon the strand as it is fed avill dislodge: itfrom the" guide the; strand naterialis'being fed from, the spool 14:,the

spoolf13 m y b'e' remov'ed from its. position onthe base v member and aiull l spool of strand material; F'substituted therefor, the

fiierfassociated with the-spool 13 being lifted therefromfby the bail20andjdisposed with- 45in the hubof theefull spool; The projecting end ofthe; innermost layer of the'str and on: spool j 14' is then suitablyconnected; With the end oftheI1outerm0st layer of" strand,

I material on the fresh spoolfand thezconnecting portion of the'stranddisposed within T 91 the'clip 2-1, loopedovertheprojection l8,'and

- threaded in the" guide 7197: of the flielr associatedwith the tullspool fThis operation of, replacing exhausted spools With fresh onesandconnectingthem with the feeding ifl-inay be fed without interruptioml; i

spool as above described [niay be continued as long 7 as desired so"thatr' strand material "511106 the Jon tun the strand is-v niade hileitis being fed, this" operation does not 1 reduce the 1 activity of any.machine 'Which g greceivesthe fed-strand. 1 f The two spools are-setatthe angle trated, in order to focus onlthesanoe point 5 ."the angle offeeding iromboth spools, thus i maintaining'the tension on the strand,uni- "form as it is fed from each spool.

fl is 'shown as comprising only'two spoolsitfis I fl,--Whatis claimedis:

v 1. In an apparatusfor-handling xstrandsg to--be understood thatvarious number: of 5Q spools may be interconnected 111 the mannerpreviously described ithout] departing j trom the spirit and scope.oftheinventiong,

aplurality o f strand supply. devices and in v spool :13 is feedingstrandv material, the pull of. the strand serving to rotatethefiierassociated with thespool to 1 unwind the strandkthei'efrom in theusua'lr manner. As thelast layer of s'trand mate prial froinsaidsupplydevicesserially. f 1

fiviithdravving rneansinorinallyoperative,said

Although inthe drawings the apparatus dependent drivableWithdrawing-means as sociated With each of said dev ces, said drlvableWithdrawing means so constructed and arranged as to permit uninterruptedfeedof, strand material itrorn said supplyldevices serially.

a 2;"In an apparatusfor handling'strandsf V l a plurality of sstrandsupply devices, the

oiiterend'bfstfand material-of one ofsaid' devices being connected ,to'the inner; end of strand material- 0fanother supply device,and:independent] drivable Withdrawing means associatedwith each ofsai'ddevices, f said ivithdrawing devices so constructedand arranged vas'topermituninterrupted feed of strandmaterial from said-supplydevices, ,3;InfanJapparatu's for handlingstrands,"

a pluralitylof strand supply devices-and ins dependent drivablewithdrawlng 1neans'as sociated Withfeach of saiddevices, said ith-f.drawing meansdrivenizbythe. strand mate; rial andso constructedan'cl,'a1'ranged as to j permit uninterrupted feed; of strand inat? ff T4L. In an apparatus 5 for handlingstrands, a pluralityLofstrandsupply'devices andin-f dependent drivable Withdrawing?ineansfassociated' with each ofisaid. devices} one ofjsaid withdrawing ineans so iconstructed and far 7 ranged as" to, permit uninterrupted fe'ed of J Istrand materi l from?vv said ff supply zd'evices serially;

' 5. I1i an apparatus for handlingfstrands, 4

a plurality of strand; supply devices-anda i flierasso'ciated yvit h'ea'ch ofsa-id' dl'e vic'es'f said fliers so constructed and, arranged {ast0 permit uninterrupted; feed of strandinaterial; from said supplyldevicesserially. V V Y 6. In an'apparatus for handling'strands, aplurality ofstrand'supplydeyiceathe inner end strand in'aterialoffoneo-f'said, deviceslbei'ng, connected to thejouter. end

L of strand material oflanothelj Supply; device, I

means fo yieldinglyjliolding the connected- 1 endsofsaid'strandrnaterial Where they lead V from one supply device to another, and in-:dependent driy'ablewithdravving means asso :ciat'e hea h 5 Sa d devidhi lh draw ng means, so; constructed and" arranged 11 as to permitfun'in'terrupted feed 'of strand' inate'rial-fronisaid supplyideviceskiI In an apparatusffor' handling strands,

' a plurality of spools containing strand fina teriahandafiierassociated With-each spool, 1 the; outerlend of strand materialononefspool V being connected to.the inner end of strand material-onanother spool,andsaidfliersso i] constructed and arranged asv topermit-"uninterrupted feed of strand m ziterial, from said spools. tv8,111 an apparatus for handling'lstrands,

a plurality of spools containing strand Ina teria'l, and a flier,associatediwith each spool, theouter end of strand n'l'aterialon onespool beingconnected to the inner end of strand materlal on anotherspool, and said filers so constructed and arranged and controlled by thestrand as to permit uninterrupted feed of strand material from saidsupply devices 9. In an apparatus for handling strands, a plurality ofspools containing strand material, a flier associated-With each spool,

each'of said fliers having a strand guide and one of said fliers havinga pr0 ect 1on over which the strand may be looped, the outer end ofstrand material on one spool being connected to the inner end of strandinater1al on another spool, and sa1d filers so constructed and arrangedas to permit un-V interrupted feed of strand material from ment and amember over which strand ma terial may be looped, said Withdrawing'means so constructed and arranged as to permit uninterrupted feed ofstrand .material from said supply devicesserially.

11. In an apparatus for handling strands, a plurality of strand supplydevices, said devices so disposedi that the angle of feeding therefromis focused on the same point, and v independent drivable Withdrawingmeans associated With each of said devices, said Withdrawing means soconstructed andar ranged as to permit uninterrupted feed of strandmaterial from said supply {devices serially.

12. In an apparatus for handling strands, i

a plurality of spools containing strand material, said spools sodisposed that the anglev of feeding therefrom is focused on the samepoint, afller associated with each spool, said filers so constructed andarranged as to permit uninterrupted feed of strand material a from saidsupply devices serially.

In itness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 28 day of April A.1)., 1923.

HOWARD GEORGE WALKER.

